GlaxoSmithKline considers appealing against NICE recommendation

GlaxoSmithKline will consider appealing against a recommendation that the NHS should not fund a treatment for a form of advanced breast cancer.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) advised the public body not to invest in Tyverb (lapatinib) for those with ErbB2-positive.

Simon Jose, general manager of GSK UK, asserted the firm disagrees with the decision and believes it is a valuable medication.

To try and achieve a positive outcome, GSK covered the cost of the treatment for patients for up to 12 weeks as part of the Tyverb Patient Access Programme.

After this period, the public body only continued the payment for those who continued to receive clinical benefits from the drug.

However, NICE indicated it did not consider the drug to be cost effective, adding it was difficult to demonstrate whether or not it had a significant benefit.

Mr Jose commented: “More work [needs] to be done ? when flexible access programmes ? and the recent changes by NICE for patients with ? short life expectancy still fail to give them access to valuable medicines.”

GSK is a research-based pharmaceutical company.